August Update! Holiday – Reading – Writing – Bullet Journal

My August Update – Lottie Things

Hello! Its been a while, again…

I haven’t really been up to much, because i never really am doing anything that exciting…
But here’s a little August update.
Since i haven’t uploaded a blog post in a few months, there’s a bit of catching up to do.
My fiction writing course is coming to an end so hopefully i will be uploading regularly again soon!

So, obviously the school year ended, and i have had the whole summer to do work at home.
Looking back at the summer now i think i have done nothing, and it seems like that too!
I wanted to have done more and achieved more but oh well…
Lets get straight into it!

HOLIDAY

Lets start at the beginning of the holidays. Where me and Sean went on our own little holiday!
Not a big one like Mexico last year, but just a quiet week away in Spain. We flew to where i always used to go when i was younger. Sometimes we would even go for the whole summer, which i loved.

We flew to Malaga airport, then got on a coach to our hotel ‘Riu Costa Del Sol’.
Now we did have a great time, but i feel like i have completed Spain now, if you know what i mean?
I’m happy i went back to my childhood holidays and was able to show Sean where we used to go as a family, but from now on, i want to travel to places i have never been.
We had a good time, however, we kept comparing it to Mexico…
Next holiday will be another big two week one, to somewhere we haven’t been before. Because lying by a pool all day is relaxing, but its nice to explore somewhere new too.

WRITING

For most of the holidays, i have been doing coursework, so much so, i haven’t really ended up doing as much as i wanted. I feel like my brain is going to explode with words that just do not make sense. Anyway, i finally completed unit five, and got a distinction for it! Yay, well done me! Now i’m writing unit six, which is consists of a bigger piece of original fiction, which i have written the first draft for… I’m just waiting for an email off my tutor to help me with the next task.

Once i have completed this course (which needs to be done by November), I will then be moving onto a self publishing course. I will be self publishing a few of my shorter stories, and if all goes well, i will publish the story i am writing right now, because i love it, and its weird, and i want everyone else to read it. (I am rambling because i am writing this at 10 pm)

WHAT I HAVE READ

I have done quiet well recently, with reading. Here’s a little description on my most recent, don’t worry, there’s no spoilers!
Just a little rating, how much i enjoyed it blah blah blah.
(This part does contain affiliate links xx)

The Power by Naomi Alderman

LOVED THIS BOOK.

I wasn’t actually aiming to buy it, until the lady in Waterstones (bookshop) sold it to me. It was amazing. More than what i thought it would be.

Its not super feminist if you’re worried about that, its not going to try convert you to a new way of living (although i love a bit of feminism).
It is about women, who have a power, and the story is basically about how that progresses over the years, and how it evolved in the society.

I read this book so quickly, i didn’t want to put it down. Its completely different to anything else i have personally ever read.

Rating – 10/10

Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard

I think i originally bought this book because it is very aesthetically pleasing! (So is the next one).

I did enjoy it, however, the story is quite sad in places, and does become hard to read here and there.

I think its very relate able to some people, and its a lovely story about friendship, and how hard it can be.

This book did take me quite a while to finish. I think i prefer more gritty books, this one is very young adult.

Rating – 7/10

A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard

Okay, so once again, this book is beautiful! I like how it does match the other one, you can easily tell its by the same author, it’s nice when you do find an author who writes books really enjoy reading.

In my opinion, i liked this book so much better. I felt like the story was very different, although it is your average teenage love story, its not at the same time.

The girl in the story is a mute, meaning she finds it hard to speak verbally, especially when she is not comfortable.

The boy in the story is deaf. So their love evolves through their way of speaking, they use BSL (sign language), and its just a really nice happy little read. In fact, its really made me want to learn BSL. This book does open your eyes on how different peoples lives actually are when they cannot hear/or talk.

Rating 8/10

The Second Sister by Claire Kendal

I was really excited to read this book. I wont talk to much about it because i will end up spoiling it!

The story is about a woman, who’s sister was taken ten years ago.
The case was unsolved, but the sister is convinced there is more to her disappearance.

Anyway, i feel like this book goes on for way longer than it should, but the ending is very clever, and quite scary!

Rating 7/10

Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land

LOVED THIS BOOK I READ IT IN A DAY.

I don’t know what excited me so much, probably because it was new, but still.

This book had me gripped.

I had to know the ending immediately. Its about a girl, who has had her identity changed because her mother is a serial killer.

She is living with a new family, just for a short period of time, going through therapy and things like that. The whole way through the book she is worried she is going to end up like her Mum.

So there, you need to read it. Amazing book.

Rating – 10/10

The Girls by Emma Cline

Okay so i am still reading this one.

I am really enjoying it, however, its so intense.

There’s a lot going on, and its taking me a while to read!

I didn’t think it was going to be as serious as it is. I don’t want to give away too much, but its way better than what i thought it would be.

Rating so far 8/10

BECOMING A BULLET JOURNAL-ER PERSON

Is there a name for someone who uses a bullet journal? I don’t know. Anyway, i am SOLD. I love it. Originally i was going to go for the whole minimalism vibe, but then i watched a ton of youtube videos, and decided i would use it to get creative, and to sort of have an outlet to express myself.

I love the bullet journal method because its designed to really help you stay on top of your tasks, be productive, and do the important things first! Its so hard to stay motivated sometimes, but this little book now helps me to get things done. I want to cross it off the list, and i wasn’t to have less things to do tomorrow. So it works. Very well!

I really really want to create proper blog post about bullet journalling but ill wait until i have used the method a little bit more!
(I was really naughty as well, and spent even more money. ON AN INSTAX PRINTER (Blog post coming soon). So i now have cute little Polaroids to put everywhere.

I will link the book, and the pens down below (Affiliate) – I didn’t shop around so i don’t know if you can get these for a better price, but i was very happy with them anyway.

So that’s it!
Thank you for reading!
I will be posting every couple of weeks from now on so make sure you keep updated on Lottie Things Bloglovin
Bye! xxx